Sponsoring your spouse, common-law, or conjugal partner from Europe to Canada is a life-changing step, but the process can be complicated. Whether you’re a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, understanding the requirements, obligations, and steps involved is crucial for a successful spousal sponsorship application. This comprehensive guide for 2025 covers every aspect of sponsoring a spouse from Europe, including eligibility, documentation, financial obligations, application steps, and more—helping you navigate Canadian immigration confidently.

Key Takeaways

• You must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident aged 18+ to sponsor your spouse, common-law, or conjugal partner from Europe.
• Both sponsor and applicant must meet specific eligibility and admissibility criteria, including financial support and relationship proof.
• Spousal sponsorship applications can be made from inside or outside Canada, with different processes for each.
• Quebec has additional sponsorship requirements for residents of the province.
• The process involves gathering extensive documentation, online application submission, and meeting biometric and medical requirements.
• Understanding sponsorship bars, criminal inadmissibility, and the obligations of financial support is essential for approval.
• This guide focuses on spousal sponsorship from Europe, but many principles apply to other regions as well.

Table of Contents

1. Understanding Spousal Sponsorship in Canada
2. Who Can Sponsor a Spouse from Europe?
3. Who Can Be Sponsored?
4. Types of Relationships: Spouse, Common-Law, and Conjugal Partners
5. Key Requirements for Sponsoring a Spouse from Europe
6. Financial Obligations and Income Requirements
7. Eligibility Bars and Disqualifying Factors
8. Special Considerations: Quebec Sponsors
9. Step-By-Step Spousal Sponsorship Application Process
10. Required Documents and Evidence
11. Medical, Criminal, and Biometric Requirements
12. After You Apply: Processing Times and Next Steps

Understanding Spousal Sponsorship in Canada

Spousal sponsorship is a Canadian immigration pathway that allows citizens and permanent residents to sponsor their spouse, common-law partner, or conjugal partner for permanent residence. This program is part of the Family Class immigration route and is designed to reunite families in Canada. For those sponsoring a spouse from Europe, the process involves meeting specific eligibility criteria, gathering documentation, and demonstrating the genuineness of the relationship.

Why Sponsor Your Spouse from Europe?

Europeans form a significant portion of Canadian immigrants. Sponsoring a spouse from Europe allows couples to build a life together in Canada, access healthcare, education, and employment opportunities, and eventually pursue Canadian citizenship for the sponsored partner.

Relevant Legislation and Policy

The Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) and its regulations govern family sponsorship, including spousal sponsorship Canada. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) administers these programs, setting out the requirements for sponsors and applicants.

Who Can Sponsor a Spouse from Europe?

Not everyone living in Canada is eligible to sponsor a spouse, common-law, or conjugal partner. Sponsors must meet several requirements to ensure they can support their partner and prevent sponsored individuals from relying on social assistance.

Basic Sponsor Requirements

• Age: You must be at least 18 years old (sponsor age requirement).
• Status in Canada: You must be a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident residing in Canada, or a Canadian citizen living abroad (with plans to return to Canada when your spouse becomes a permanent resident).
• Residency: Permanent residents must be physically present in Canada to sponsor.
• Financial Support: You must demonstrate the ability to provide financial support spouse for the sponsored person and any dependent children.
• No Default: You must not be in default of previous sponsorship undertakings, immigration loans, or court-ordered support payments.
• No Serious Criminal Record: You must not have been convicted of certain violent or sexual offences.
• No Bankruptcy: You must not be an undischarged bankrupt at the time of application.

Canadian Citizens Living Abroad

Canadian citizens residing outside Canada can sponsor a spouse, common-law, or conjugal partner (and dependent children) as long as they demonstrate an intention to return to Canada once the sponsored person is granted permanent residence.

Permanent Residents

If you are a permanent resident sponsor, you must be living in Canada to sponsor your spouse or partner. You cannot sponsor from outside Canada.

Who Can Be Sponsored?

Not every partner qualifies for Canadian permanent resident sponsorship. The relationship must fit one of these categories:

• Spouse: Legally married to the sponsor. The marriage must be valid both under the law of the place where it took place and under Canadian law.
• Common-law partner: Lived together in a conjugal relationship for at least 12 consecutive months.
• Conjugal partner: In a committed relationship for at least one year, but unable to live together or marry due to circumstances beyond their control (e.g., immigration barriers, religious restrictions, or sexual orientation).

Dependent Children

You can sponsor dependent children as part of your application. To qualify, a child must be under 22 years old and not have a spouse or common-law partner of their own (with some exceptions for those over 22 who are financially dependent due to a physical or mental condition).

Types of Relationships: Spouse, Common-Law, and Conjugal Partners

Understanding how Canadian immigration defines your relationship is crucial for a successful sponsorship application.

Spouse

Marriage must be legally recognized in the country where it took place and under Canadian law. Same-sex marriages are recognized if legal where performed. Marriages performed by proxy, telephone, fax, or internet are not recognized unless one or both partners were physically present.

Common-Law Partner

Common-law partner sponsorship requires at least 12 consecutive months of cohabitation in a marriage-like relationship. Proof may include shared leases, utility bills, joint bank accounts, or affidavits from friends and family.

Conjugal Partner

Conjugal partner sponsorship applies if you have been in a committed relationship for at least one year but cannot live together or marry due to circumstances beyond your control. This route is less common and requires substantial evidence of a genuine relationship.

Key Requirements for Sponsoring a Spouse from Europe

To sponsor your spouse from Europe, both you (the sponsor) and your partner (the applicant) must meet several requirements:

Relationship Genuineness

• You must prove your relationship is genuine and not entered into primarily for immigration purposes.
• Evidence may include communication records, photos, joint financial documents, travel records, and supporting statements.

Admissibility Requirements

• The applicant must not be inadmissible to Canada due to criminality, health, or security reasons.
• Medical exams and police certificates are required for the applicant and accompanying dependents.

Age and Status

• Both sponsor and applicant must be at least 18 years old.
• The applicant must have legal temporary resident status in Canada if applying from within the country (exceptions exist for certain out-of-status applicants).

Compliance with Undertaking

• The sponsor must sign an undertaking to provide financial support spouse for the sponsored person (and dependents) for a set period.
• This means you are responsible for their basic needs and will not allow them to rely on social assistance.

Previous Sponsorships

• Sponsors who themselves were sponsored as a spouse or partner cannot sponsor another spouse/partner for five years after becoming a permanent resident (five-year sponsorship bar).

Other Requirements

• You must not be under a removal order or incarcerated.
• You must not have defaulted on a previous sponsorship, immigration loan, or court-ordered support payment.

Financial Obligations and Income Requirements

Unlike other family sponsorship streams, there is no formal minimum income requirement for sponsoring a spouse, common-law, or conjugal partner (except in Quebec). However, you must demonstrate you can provide financial support spouse and dependents, and not be receiving social assistance for reasons other than disability.

Financial Undertaking

• The sponsor signs an undertaking to provide basic needs (food, shelter, clothing, health care not covered by public health insurance) for the sponsored person and dependent children.
• The length of undertaking is 3 years for spouses, common-law, and conjugal partners, and 10 years or until age 25 for dependent children (whichever comes first).
• If the sponsored person receives social assistance during the undertaking, the sponsor must repay these amounts to the government.

Spousal Sponsorship Income Requirement

• There is no specific income threshold, but the IRCC may assess your ability to support your family based on your current situation and past financial history.

Financial Support in Quebec

• Quebec sponsors must meet a financial capacity assessment and sign an additional undertaking with the provincial government.
• Quebec sets an annual income threshold for sponsors, which you must meet based on family size.

Eligibility Bars and Disqualifying Factors

Several factors can make you ineligible to sponsor your spouse from Europe:

Five-Year Sponsorship Bar

• If you were sponsored as a spouse or partner, you cannot sponsor a new spouse/partner until five years have passed since you became a permanent resident.

Violent Crime Bar

• You cannot sponsor if convicted of certain violent or sexual offences, especially against a family member or partner.

Financial Default

• In default of previous sponsorship undertakings, immigration loans, or court-ordered support (child/spousal support) disqualifies you until the default is resolved.

Social Assistance

• Receiving social assistance for reasons other than disability is grounds for ineligibility.

Removal Orders or Imprisonment

• Sponsors under a removal order or in prison cannot sponsor until their situation changes.

Other Bars

• Undischarged bankruptcy at the time of application.
• Failure to repay immigration loans.

Special Considerations: Quebec Sponsors

If you live in Quebec and wish to sponsor your spouse or partner from Europe, you must meet both federal and provincial requirements.

Quebec Sponsorship Process

• Submit your application to IRCC (federal government) first.
• Once IRCC reviews your application, you will be invited to apply to Quebec’s Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration (MIFI).
• You must sign an undertaking with Quebec and demonstrate financial capacity based on provincial income requirements.

Income Assessment in Quebec

• Quebec sponsors must meet a minimum necessary income (updated annually) based on family size.
• Proof of income may include pay stubs, tax returns, and employment letters.

Length of Undertaking in Quebec

• 3 years for spouses, common-law, or conjugal partners; 10 years for dependent children under 16; 3 years for dependent children over 16.

Step-By-Step Spousal Sponsorship Application Process

Here’s a detailed breakdown of the steps to sponsor your spouse, common-law, or conjugal partner from Europe in 2025:

Step 1: Gather Information and Check Eligibility

• Review all eligibility requirements for both sponsor and applicant.
• Decide whether you will apply from inside Canada (inland) or outside Canada (outland).

Step 2: Obtain the Application Package

• Download the latest application package from the IRCC website (includes checklists, forms, and guides).
• Use the spousal sponsorship guide to ensure you select the correct forms and instructions for your situation.

Step 3: Complete the Application Forms

• Both sponsor and applicant must fill out their respective forms (including IMM 5289, IMM 1344, IMM 5532, and others as required).
• All forms must be completed online and submitted through the IRCC portal.

Step 4: Gather Supporting Documents

• Collect proof of relationship (photos, correspondence, joint finances, travel records, etc.).
• Gather identity documents (passports, birth certificates, marriage certificates, etc.).
• Obtain police certificates from every country where the applicant has lived for 6+ months since age 18, including European countries.
• Prepare digital photos meeting IRCC specifications.

Step 5: Pay the Fees

• Pay processing fees, right of permanent residence fee, and biometrics fee online.
• Keep receipts for your records and include them in your application package where required.

Step 6: Submit the Application Online

• Upload all forms and supporting documents through the IRCC online portal.
• Ensure everything is complete and accurate to avoid delays or refusal.

Step 7: Biometrics and Medical Exams

• After submission, the applicant will receive instructions to provide biometrics (fingerprints and photo) at a designated centre in Europe or Canada.
• Complete a medical exam with an IRCC-approved panel physician.

Step 8: Application Processing and Communication

• Monitor your application status through the IRCC portal.
• Respond promptly to any requests for additional documents or information.

Step 9: Decision and Arrival in Canada

• If approved, the sponsored spouse receives a Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) and, if necessary, a permanent resident visa.
• Upon arrival in Canada, the new permanent resident must present their documents at the port of entry.

Required Documents and Evidence

Proper documentation is crucial for a successful spousal sponsorship application. The IRCC can refuse incomplete or inconsistent